A throwback interview in which veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, opened up about his years-long battle with illness has resurfaced following his death on Sunday at the age of 66.
In the interview, which was published by Oyinmomo TV on July 4, 2025, the actor recounted the severe health challenges he experienced over a period of about seven years, including an ulcer that left him vomiting blood and struggling to eat.
Ogogo explained that the ulcer had caused significant damage to his stomach and made eating extremely difficult. He recalled that there were periods when he could only pray while sitting because of the severity of the pain.
“I spent six to seven years battling this illness, ulcer. I would vomit blood. For seven months, I prayed while sitting,” he said.
The actor also linked the worsening of his condition to his use of a local remedy for malaria after he had already developed an ulcer.
According to Ogogo, he had told a doctor that he usually took Alabukun and lime whenever he experienced malaria symptoms. The doctor, he said, warned him that the mixture could aggravate his existing ulcer.
“I told the doctor, ‘If I had malaria, I’d take Alabukun and lime.’ He shouted, ‘You have implicated yourself. You have an ulcer and the remedy you used for malaria caused this,’” Ogogo recalled.
He further described how the illness affected his ability to eat, saying even a small quantity of food could trigger vomiting.
“I even took a teaspoonful of rice; I would vomit everything before it settled. For seven years, I survived only on cornmeal,” he said.
Ogogo said his recovery eventually involved both medical treatment and spiritual support.
“Eventually, I started treatment both spiritually and medically,” the actor said, expressing gratitude to God for helping him through the difficult period.
“God is the one who does things perfectly, the God of every season. I appreciate Him deeply,” he added.
The resurfaced interview has drawn renewed attention following Ogogo’s death on Sunday, August 23, 2026, after his daughters had earlier disclosed that the actor was battling stage-four cancer.
Insightlinks recalls that His daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, had appealed for specialised medical assistance, stressing that the family was seeking professional help to give their father another chance at survival.
Ogogo, whose career in the Nigerian film industry spanned more than four decades, featured in hundreds of Yoruba-language films and remained one of the most recognisable figures in Nollywood until his death.
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